A Blinded American, Ctd

I can confirm that Emily Henochowicz, a 21-year-old Jewish American student, was seriously injured while protesting the Israeli raid on the flotilla. I went to school with Emily; she was in my sister's class and her older sister was in mine. She's currently in the hospital and has lost her left eye as has been reported on numerous sites. There are horrific and graphic pictures from ISM and another site. It goes without saying that this is a sobering experience for me. Having studied the conflict, I've seen pictures of protesters surrounded in clouds of tear gas, but I've never known anyone personally to be attacked. Emily is an amazingly strong woman and she has an incredible amount of support behind her, but this is an appalling act. There was absolutely no reason that for a tear gas canister to be shot into her face.

While Emily will have a long recovery, there should be accountability for this act. I'll be writing our representative, Chris Van Hollen, but this unacceptable. I won't let this die down without recognition and I hope you'll do all you can to keep this present in people's mind. That Emily's government will not be outraged on her behalf, for standing up for her beliefs and the beliefs of her country is a typical hypocrisy, but one I cannot accept in this case.